"If I may suggest it, though, there are other scenarios in which someone might be in the house illegally, and yet with no demonstrable intention of causing bodily harm. Some sort of graduated response would be needed; to shoot someone for stealing the TV would definitely be unlawful, and would lead to a world of legal trouble. Plus (for me anyway) it would be a tough thing to live with."

For me, If I find someone unexpectedly in my house, they will be confronted by me, armed, but also trained, reasonable and prudent. That pretty much covers the waterfront for me. It's about as "graduated" as I get under the stipulated fact of someone "in the house illegally."

Jeff